NBME Common Problems

Workstation Certification Problems

If you receive the error message “You have exceeded the maximum number of attempts”, please contact a Med Ed Technology staff member to assist you. They can use the ‘Technical Support Staff Certification” link and assist you.

Please reboot your laptop so that you attempt workstation certification with a “clean slate”. Do not startup any additional programs other than your preferred internet browser. Do not plug in accessories like a phone into your laptop as that may start a program on your laptop. Recently run applications do NOT always clean up after themselves when they are closed and tend to leave processes running in memory.

Best practice is to disable any screen capture, audio, video, or cloud services before running the workstation certification. Most users find that the offending program/recording service came in a software bundle from the manufacturer and they have never used or have need to use the program.

Should you receive an error message during workstation certification, contact a Med Ed Technology staff member to assist you. You can contact Med Ed Technology at mededweb@virginia.edu or by visiting the offices in either the Learning Studio or the Auditorium. If needed, you can reserve a loaner laptop for the exam.

Test Day Problems

A common issue is getting connected to the cavalier or wahoo network after students have spent several weeks or months in their clerkships on clinical WiFi networks (the cavalier credentials/digital certificate expires every 12 months). You can easily avoid this problem by using the network setup tool to download a new digital certificate for the cavalier network. Instructions are on the ITC website here – http://network-setup.itc.virginia.edu/setup_tool.html.

Occasionally, students’ laptops will freeze up, mouse cursors will disappear, or their laptop will stop functioning in the middle of the exam. The most expeditious path is to notify the proctor and end the exam (Ctril-Shift-Q). The Med Ed Tech staff can quickly substitute a loaner laptop allowing you to resume taking the exam without losing examination time (the duration timer does halt/stop when you exit the exam).